Can opener



J. B. F LYNN CAN OPENER Dec. 26, 1950 Filed Sept. 20, 1948 INVENTOR. John 5. F/L nn BY W 75% 0 m 75M ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 26, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CAN OPENER John B. Flynn, Detroit, Mich.

Application September 20,1948, Serial No. 50,074

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to can openers. It is the object of the invention to provide a can opener in the form of a tool with a key slot for engagement with the protruding tab on the can. The opener can then be used to tear the cover or a sealing ribbon off by winding the same around the tool as it is turned. The tool may be released by drawing the key out of the wrapped metal by hand power aid by an arrangement of elements that provides large mechanical advantage.

A further object of the invention is to construct the tool, including part of the mechanical advantage device of wire so as to make it a very cheap article which may be sold at a price that will give it appeal to the buying public.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the can opener with the key extended.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevation showing the can opening key retracted to release it from the wrapped metal.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a perspective of a can showing the entire top wrapped around the tool. The tab is shown in dotted lines in the position it occupies before the top is torn from the can.

The frame I of the tool is formed by a wire which is bent into U shape forming the sides of the tool and the flattened bottom 2 which is provided with a slot 3 through which the key bar 4 is guided. The ends of the U wire are turned over to form loops 5 which form handles for grasping and turning the tool. The ends of the U frame are connected by sheet metal arcuate channel members 6 which form a journal bearing for the outer enlarged coil 1 of the wire screw member 8. The end of the wire screw member is provided with a loop forming a handle 9. The key bar 4 is provided with notches IE} which form external threads in which the coil screw member 8 may engage, consequently when the loop or handle 9 is turned the key bar can be caused to be pulled inwardly or pushed outwardly of the frame I. A pin I I has a drive fit in the key bar to act as a stop to limit the outward travel of the key bar. 12 is the key slot adapted to engage the tab [3 on can l4.

To remove the top of the can, one takes the tool, and if the key bar is not all the way out, he turns the loop 9 until the stop pin H strikes the bottom of the U frame 9 shown in Figure 1. The tool is then placed on the metal tab is and the tab is then wound around the outer end of the key bar. 'Ihereupon the entire top will tear along the rim of the can and wind around the tool as shown in Figure 5. To release the tool the loop handle 9 of the wire screw is operated to withdraw the key bar shown in Figure 2. This will pull the key bar out of the tight coil around the key bar made by the tab and the adjacent top material winding tightly around the key bar. As the key bar pulls out, it will be released from the tight coil by reason of the diverging walls l5 of the key slot l2 and by reason of the tapered edges 16 of the key bar. This will release the whole tool and it may be readily pulled out.

Ihe tool will work the same way in that type of can which has a removable strip along the upper side of the can which permits the tearing off of the strip to separate the cover of the can from the body of the can.

From the above description and perusal of the drawings, it will be seen that the tool is so designed and the material so selected as to make it as cheap as possible and yet an effective tool to accomplish its purpose.

What I claim is:

1. A tool for opening cans comprising a frame, a sliding key bar non-rotatably guided in the frame in longitudinal reciprocating movement, the said key bar being provided with a slot to engage a tab on the can, and means for reciprocating the key bar back and forth in the frame by the aid of devices affording a mechanical advantage, the said means comprising a wire screw coil journaled in the frame and notches on the key bar engaged with the coil to provide a screw action between the wire coil and the sliding bar.

2. A tool for opening cans comprising a frame, a sliding key bar non-rotatably guided in the frame in longitudinal reciprocating movement, the said key bar being provided with a slot to engage a tab on the can, and means for reciprocating the key bar back and forth in the frame by the aid of devices affording a mechanical advantage, the said frame comprising a wire bent to U shape with the bottom of the U flattened and slotted to provide a guide slot for the reciprocating key bar.

A tool for opening cans comprising a frame, a sliding key bar non-rotatably guided in the frame in longitudinal reciprocating movement, the said key bar being provided with a slot to engage a tab on the can, and means for reciprocating the key bar back and forth in the frame by the aid of devices affording a mechanical advantage, the said frame comprising a wire bent to U shape with the bottom of the U flattened and slotted to provide a guide slot for the coil journaled in the frame and notches on the key bar engaged with the coil to provide a screw action between the wire coil and the sliding bar, the said frame comprising a Wire bent to U shape with a flattened bottom having a guide s'iot for the sliding notched key barrandzapair of arcuate channel strips welded to the ends of the U frame to form a journal in which the outer coil of the wire screw may turn but the screw is restricted against longitudinal movement.

JOHN B. FLYNN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

' UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,461,151 Keeler July 10, 1923 FOREIGN PATENTS :Nuinber Country Date 603,967 Germany Feb. 27, 1935 

